What Does a Real Property Administrator Do?

A real property administrator is responsible for managing a particular site or a number of different commercially owned properties. These individuals are tasked with managing the operational budget for properties and for hiring maintenance workers and other people to work at these sites. Government agencies as well as private firms employ people in a number of different real property administrator roles and in many instances, these individuals have both prior industry related experience and college degrees.

Many property administrators are people who have completed undergraduate college degree programs in topics such as business administration or management. During these courses, students learn about managing people and handling operational issues such as budgetary shortfalls. Individuals who have not completed college degree programs sometimes enroll in short-term vocational college training courses during which students receive basic instruction in management techniques and business protocols.

In many instances, a real property administrator is responsible for negotiating lease agreements with consumers and business clients. Therefore, many employers prefer to hire managers who are good at mathematics and who have prior sales experience. Managers who oversee multiple properties may need to have some knowledge of local contract laws and some firms hire managers who have successfully completed law degrees. Aside from handling contract negotiations with third parties, managers also have to agree employment contracts with workers. Consequently, some property managers are individuals who have previously worked in personnel management or human resources (HR).

Renters are typically more inclined to lease properties that are well maintained and the real property administrator must ensure that properties are regularly cleaned, painted and repaired. The manager may have to employ maintenance workers and cleaners on a contractual basis while other managers employ in-house workers who are responsible for handling minor repairs. Laws in some nations mean that only licensed and bonded contractors can perform certain types of work such as the installation of solar panels or the replacement of electrical wiring. The manager is responsible for checking the credentials of people who perform such work.

Other responsibilities of a real property administrator include handling complaints from renters. The manager must ensure that liability insurance policies are in place that protect the entity that owns the property form financial losses stemming from a lawsuit. Managers must also ensure that employees abide by safety guidelines and that fire exits and important locations are clearly signposted so as to reduce the likelihood of accidents or lawsuits. In some instances, the property manager may also be responsible for negotiating the sale of a particular building. Consequently, some property managers have prior experience as real estate agents.